Safety window scaffold



Nov. 3, 1936. J. MENT ET AL 2,059,739

SAFETY WINDOW SCAFFOLD Filed Aug. 13, 1934 2 Sheet-Sheet 1 46 I 0000 Team J4/H; J1 J3 1T: 512B 55 JACOB ME/VT Q51 $IDNEY MENT ATTORNEY INVENTORS Nov. 3, 1936. J. MENT ET AL SAFETY WINDOW SCAFFOLD Filed Aug. 13, 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 JACOB MENZ' SIDNEYME/VT INVENTORS HERBERT/JEN? ATTORNEY Patented Nov. 3, 1936 "times PATENT OFFICE SAFETY WINDOW SCAFFOLD Application August 13, 1934, Serial No. 739,520

5 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in Window scaffolds particularly adapted to be folded for easy transportation from one point of use to another.

While many devices of this kind have been contemplated, they have either been too bulky and therefore difficult to handle or if light enough and otherwise strong enough for the purpose, have presented great difliculties to the handler inasmuch as the folding and opening operations were awkward. This is quite apparent when it is borne in mind that the user must stand on one side of the window opening and the heavier balcony portion is on the other side thereof when the scaffold is being adjusted into place.

The invention, therefore, contemplates and has for its major object the provision of a portable, folding scaffold which is light in weight, not

bulky and may quickly and surely be positioned in a window opening.

Another important object of the invention lies in the provision of a device of this type which, while in a folded condition, may be projected through a window opening and while in this condition, may be locked into place and thereafter the guard or rail portions of the balcony may be conveniently opened and latched into place from a comfortable position within the room. Similarly, when removing the device, the balcony guard may first be folded so the scaffold may then be more conveniently removed from its position in the window opening.

These advantageous features are accomplished by the novel and practical construction, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter disclosed and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, constituting an essential part of the disclosure, and in which:

Fig. l is a side elevational view of a scaffold constructed in accordance with this invention shown in position in a window opening, the

' broken lines indicating a partially fold condition of the balcony guard.

Fig. 2 is a side view of a folded scaffold.

Fig. 3 is a partial longitudinal sectional view of the scaffold.

Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional View as taken along the line l l of Fig. 3.

Figs. 5, 6, and '7 are respectively top, side and edge views of the adjustable inside scaffold locking means.

In the drawings, there is shown a window casement at It which is provided with the usual ledge H, sill l2 and window guide moulding H3. The

casement may be provided with the usual window sashes such as M and I5, which may be double hung as shown or be of the hinged or casement type.

The scaffold comprises, essentially, a frame 56 which is preferably fabricated of two spaced 1011- gitudinal members such as the angles I1, connected at one end by an angle cross member l8. At a point approximately above the sill l2 an angle I9 may be provided and at a point above the approximate middle of the window opening as viewed from front to back a cross member such as the tube or pipe 20 may be fixed. This provides a substantial, rigid but light frame which is preferably fitted as shown at 2| with wooden slabs or boards to provide a platform disposed outside the wall W containing the Window opening.

Another frame 22, preferably fabricated of angle member, is provided to form the back guard or fence of the scaffold; this frame is formed by the longer side members 23, the top cross member 24 and the bottom cross member 25. Intermediate cross members 26 and 27 may be provided to make this frame more rigid.

The frame 22 is made somewhat narrower than the frame l6 so the former may fit between the upstanding legs of the angles I! with the upright flanges of the angles l8 and 25 in abutting relation (Fig. 3). To maintain this relation there is preferably provided a latch member 26 pivoted at 2'! in the frame l6 and having a finger portion 28 adapted to hook. over the upright leg of the angle 25.

The latch 26 would ordinarily be difficult to manipulate from a position within the room and to make it more easily accessible there is pivoted to the latch, a member in the form of a rod 29, substantially midway between the angles ll of the frame l6 and parallel thereto and provided with a bearing in the cross member IQ of the said frame. This rod 29 is provided with a pull knob 30 within easy reach of a person within the room and means such as the spring 3| is provided to maintain the latch in hooking relation.

The frame 22 is adapted to assume a position at right angles to the frame l6 and at the extreme outer end thereof, when the scaffold is to be used (Fig. 1) and to be folded down flat against the said frame l6 when out of use (Fig. 2). Various connecting means may be employed between the frames for the purpose but it is preferred to provide means whereby the top edge of the frame 22 shall not be intercepted by the window sash when being opened or folded. One manner in which this may be accomplished is to provide an angularly disposed link 32 pivoted to each pair of adjacent sides of the frames and a horizontal link 33 pivoted at each side of the frme 22 near the upper end, each being pivotally connected to the upper end of an angle member 34 hinged at 35 to the frame 11.

In order to minimize possible side sway of the guard formed by the frame 22, links 33 and members 34, the pivotal points 35 are preferably constructed in the following manner. An upright 36 secured to each angle I! of the frame I6 is provided with a fixed disc 31 and the lower end of each angle member 34 is similarly provided with a disc 38. The pivot pin at 35 then is passed through the upright 35, disc 31, disc 38 and the lateral leg of the angle 34. In this manner a hinge is provided which, due to the large area of contact between the discs, is not loose and wobbly.

So the frames may nest properly when folded, hooks such as shown at 39 and 40 may be provided to engage portions of the links 32 to prevent possible distortion or displacement of the frames from their proper superimposed relation.

To provide still greater rigidity to the guard the lower ends of the members 34 are extended to each engage in a clip 4|.

The frame I 5 is adapted .to rest on the window bead l3 and is provided at its outside end with a pair of hinged legs 42 pivoted to the frame H5 at 43 and each having a hinged foot or pad 44 for engagement against the outer face of the wall W. Means such as the chain 45 may be provided to hold each leg at a proper angle to the frame [6.

Due to the fact that walls vary in thickness to different conditions at the window ledge, the inside clamping means of the frame I6 is adjustably secured to said frame and provided with articulated wall engaging means. One form of such means is shown in Figs. 1, 5, 6, and '7 and comprises a sliding frame 46 shaped to engage over and slide along each angle l1 and to be locked thereto by the protrusion of the pin 41 through selective openings 48 in the angle. Pin retracting means such as the forked lever 49 pivoted to the hand guard 50 may be provided for convenience of operation.

The slide frame 41 may have pivoted to it a member such as the angle 5| which may assume a vertical position against an abutment 52. A walking beam 53 may be pivoted to a middle portion of the angle with its extremities engaging the horizontally guided wall engaging members 54 and 55. In this manner one or both of the members 54 and 55 may engage against the inner face of the wall W depending upon conditions at that point.

From the foregoing it will be seen that a simple device for the purpose has been disclosed in the preferred form of its embodiment, but it is not desired to restrict the details to the exact construction shown, it being obvious that changes, not involving the exercise of invention, may be made without departing from the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is: V

1. A portable window scaffold comprising a horizontal frame, means to secure said frame to a window casement so a considerable portion of said frame protrudes outside the sill of said window, flooring in said protruding portion of the frame, a vertical frame of a height greater than half the height of the window opening arranged to be removably set at the end of the first mentioned frame, releasable latch means to retain the frames in the mentioned condition, angularly disposed links permanently and swingingly connecting the said frames, vertical members hinged to the horizontal frame and horizontal link members between the upper end of the vertical members and the vertical frame, the mentioned angularly disposed links, the hinged vertical members, all together and the horizontal link members comprising cooperating means whereby the vertical frame may be swung inwardly while the vertical members are swung outwardly so as to be folded to a superimposed parallel position in relation to the horizontal frame when the frames are unlatched from each other and while the scaffold is secured to the window casement.

2. A portable window scaffold comprising a horizontal frame, means to secure said frame to a window casement so a considerable portion of said frame protrudes outside the sill of said window, flooring in said protruding portion of the frame, a vertical frame arranged to be removably set at the end of the first mentioned frame, latch means to releasably retain the frames in the mentioned condition, means operable from a position inside the window to manipulate said latch means, angularly disposed links pivotally connected with the said frames, vertical members hinged to the horizontal frame intermediate the latters ends to swing outwardly, and horizontal link members between the upper end of the vertical members and the vertical frame, the mentioned angularly disposed links, the hinged vertical members and the horizontal link members comprising cooperating means whereby the vertical frame may be swung inwardly while the vertical members are swung outwardly so as to be folded to a superimposed parallel position in relation to the horizontal frame when the frames are unlatched from each other and While the scaffold is secured to the window casement.

3. In a portable scaffold having spaced horizontal members each provided with a plurality of openings, means to engage the inside face of a wall comprising a slide member adapted to be slid along each horizontal member, a pin carried by each slide member adapted to selectively enter one of the openings, manually operable means to retract each pin, spring means to project each pin into a selected opening and means carried by each slide adapted to contact the inside face of the wall comprising a plurality of wall engaging members carried by a walking beam pivotally associated with the slide.

4. In a portable scaffold having spaced horizontal members each provided with a plurality of openings, means to engage the inside face of a wall comprising a slide member adapted to be slid along each horizontal member, a pin carried by each slide member adapted to selectively enter one of the openings, manually operable means to retract each pin, spring means to project each pin into a selected opening and means carried by each slide adapted to contact the inside face of the wall comprising a plurality of wall engaging members, a link pivotally connecting said members and guide means whereby each of said members may move in a horizontal plane.

5. In a portable window scaffold means to engage the inside wall of a window casement comprising a plurality of wall contacting members, a freely pivoted link connecting said members and means to guide each of said contacting members for movement in a horizontal plane.

SIDNEY MEN'I. JACOB MENT. H. MENT. 

